Politician loses 'Islamification' election case

A Liberal Democrat politician is facing a £98,000 bill for costs after losing a court challenge claiming he failed to win a seat because of the “Islamification” of politics in Birmingham.

Shamsur Rehman claimed his Muslim Labour rival in the Washwood Heath ward won a Birmingham City Council seat after posting a threat on Facebook that if Muslims did not vote for him, they would “go to hell”.

But at an election court on Thursday his claim was dismissed after a judge ruled there was no evidence that any kind of corruption took place.

Mr Rehman, who represented himself at the four-day hearing, has now been left will a legal bill that could run close to £100,000.